Greening the Blue Report 2023

United Nations 3 years ago

The annual Greening the Blue Report – The UN system’s environmental footprint and efforts to reduce it shows the progress both at the UN system-wide level and entity level of implementing the Strategy for Sustainability Management in the United Nations System 2020-2030, Phase I: Environmental Sustainability in the Area of Management (Sustainability Strategy I). The 2023 edition of the Greening the Blue Report, which provides 2022 data, was published on 21 December 2023. Commenting on the results from the report, António Guterres, UN Secretary-General noted, “The world must work together to address the triple planetary crisis of runaway climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.  We at the United Nations must do our part with advocacy and action.  I encourage all UN entities to set an example by greening the blue.” Sustainability Strategy I covers both environmental impact areas and management functions. Highlights of the Greening the Blue Report 2023’s UN system-wide 2022 data results include: Environmental Impact Areas Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) - the UN’s operations and facilities emitted 1.4 million tonnes of CO2eq in total or 4.6 tonnes CO2eq per capita. The UN system’s GHG emissions by source were 38% from air travel, 47% from facilities and 15% from other forms of travel Waste - the average waste generated for the whole UN system was 321 kg/person Water - the average water consumption by the UN system was 49 m3 per UN personnel per year Management Functions Environmental Governance – 7 UN entities have met or exceeded the criteria for implementing an Environmental Management System, with an additional 15 entities approaching the criteria Procurement* – 24 out of 29 organizations implemented formal sustainable procurement policies in their procurement processes Human Resources – 31 entities have environmental training available for their staff Greening the Blue Report 2023 highlights the environmental impacts of over 308,000 personnel in 57 entities across Headquarters, field offices and operations on the ground. The report also includes a case study from a UN entity on each of the environmental impact areas and management functions. To read the whole report and the detailed entity level data, please visit greeningtheblue.org. *Procurement data is taken from the 2022 Annual Statistical Report on United Nations Procurement. More information      Methodologies and data collection used, please visit greeningtheblue.org/methodology. Methodology related to travel emissions provided by the International Civil Aviation Organisation please visit the ICAO website. For climate neutrality, please visit the UNFCCC website. For more information, please contact: UN Environment Programme   E-mail: unepnewsdesk@unep.org
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layersDaily Sustainability Digest

Published about 21 days ago



Financial institutions are accelerating sustainable construction by aligning lending with measurable environmental performance. Santander UK’s decision to adapt mortgage models for Octopus Energy’s Zero Bills homes integrates credit policy with energy-efficient buildings, translating net zero carbon ambitions into mainstream financial metrics. This shift signals the emergence of whole life carbon assessment as a determinant in property valuation and positions embodied carbon and life cycle cost analysis as standard tools of risk management across the sector.

Digital transformation is amplifying the movement. The Monklands digital hospital project in Scotland demonstrates how offsite manufacturing, lifecycle assessment and connected data platforms enhance building lifecycle performance, minimise waste, and verify embodied carbon in materials. Durham’s adoption of digital planning and assessment tools reflects a broader drive toward resource efficiency in construction and environmental sustainability in construction. Together these initiatives redefine sustainable building design by embedding whole life carbon accountability into design and delivery workflows.

Policy remains an enabling force but the centre of momentum is shifting from government mandates to operational proof. A renewed national emphasis on green affordability and the integration of social equity with decarbonising the built environment are reinforcing the transition toward net zero whole life carbon outcomes. These developments illustrate a maturing circular economy in construction where sustainable building practices, low carbon design and eco-design for buildings converge to deliver verifiable carbon footprint reduction. The industry’s direction is now measurable—kilograms of CO₂, minutes saved, resources reused—evidence that green construction is evolving from aspiration to tangible low carbon building performance.

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